6 - 12 hours (12 for those groups who follow tangential conversations)
Summary:
Teachers will work individually, in small groups and as a whole group to explore the iPads interface, apps, books, pdfs, and audio/video content.
Tasks:
If you are brand new to the iPad and haven't used an iPhone or iPod touch, you might want to watch this video covering iPad Multitouch Basics. Or, you might want to just dive in with Step 2 below. Just double-check by the end of the workshop you understand:
tap, pinch, swipe, flick, drag
how to rotate your screen
how to make folders
multitasking
Built-In Apps: MiniChallenges
Step 1 - With a partner, complete the following iPad MiniChallenges. There may be more than one way to complete a challenge. (You shouldn't need to download any additional apps at this point.)
Extension - In pairs, have teachers watch one of the Guided Tours videos and write a challenge or two for their colleagues to try.
Step 2 - Complete a Think-Pair-Sharefocusing on the affordances/constraints of using the MiniChallenge approach in place of step-by-step instruction with your students.
Think - In the notes app, make a list of affordances and constraints of using the MiniChallenge approach in place of step-by-step instruction with your students
Pair - With a partner, share your lists and compare your thoughts. Add any other ideas as needed. Pick your top 2-3 for both affordances and constraints if you have more than 3.
Share - As a whole group share your top 2-3 affordances and constraints and compare your lists. If some ideas belong in both sections, make sure to clarify why.
Step 0 - Download the iBooks app (free) if needed.
Step 1 - With a partner, select a book to download and then read/explore.
Check out the Top Free Books in Apple's iTunes Store. Or,
Search the iTunes Store for Project Gutenberg books (free). There are a lot! You may want to use this page to search first, Project Gutenberg, then use the search tool in the iTunes Store to search for the title.
Step 2 - With your partner, try these ePub Challenges
How do you move around the book? (At least 3 ways)
How do you bookmark a page? Can you have more than 1? How can you find your bookmark later?
How do you look a word up in the dictionary?
How do you highlight a section? Can you change the color of your highlighter?
How do you add a note? Can you change the color of your note?
How do you search for a particular word or phrase?
Need help? Ask your partners first. If you still need more help, watch this video - iBooks Guided Tour.
Consider the idea of Annotexting as a way some of the above technical capabilities could be used.
Download the ePub Best Practices” sample document Pages document to use as a template. Edit it to replace their placeholder text and images with your own content.
Follow the steps from the tutorial you watched/read to Save and then Export your document as an ePub.
Option 3 - Creating ePub documents at 2epub or ePub Bud
Option 4 - Listen to the following 37 minute podcast describing 9 different ebook creators
T-P-S - What affordances and constraints do these books offer? How will the affordances help your students’ learning? (Including those who need special support or those ready to move at a faster pace.)
Think-Pair-Share - Use the following quadrant chart to think about the affordances and constraints of these iPad books. You may want a different chart for each type of book or just lump them together on one. Don't forget to consider the teacher AND student perspectives within each quadrant.
Audio/Video Content - Amazing FREE content, and some rubbish.
Step 1 - With a partner, explore some interesting, preselected content, Podcasts & iTunes U Content, from the iTunes Store.
Step 2 - With a partner or in a group of four (but working with a partner), learn to search the iTunes Store for content you might find useful professionally for yourself or for your classroom. Have 1 person or pair start with the Podcasts section and the other work with the iTunes U section. Then, show each other what you found and how you found it. Make sure to discuss similarities and differences between the content, it's organization, and the providers available in each section.
How could this content change the professional development opportunities available to you, your school, or district?
How could this content be used in your classroom/school by all students, for individualized learning, for days missed due to weather, for students with special interests, for students with special needs, etc?
How does this relate/connect to the idea of a Flipped classroom?
Would the content for students be best viewed individually, in pairs/small groups, or whole class? How would you facilitate that? Would the answer be the same for all grade levels?
Optional - Content Creation Apps (though also covered in module 3 above)
With a partner, select an app and project to complete as if you were a student.
iPad Exploration
Discussion:
Jordy Whitmer